A US District Judge has ordered Google to make it easier for users to download alternative Android app stores through the Google Play Store, citing "anticompetitive friction."
The ruling aims to increase competition and user choice within the Android app ecosystem by making it easier for consumers to access and download applications from sources other than Google's own Play Store.
US District Judge James Donato has ordered Google to simplify the process for downloading alternative Android app stores through the Google Play Store, ruling that the company has implemented "unnecessary anticompetitive friction." The ruling stems from the ongoing antitrust case where Google lost in 2023, with subsequent years focused on remedies for its anticompetitive behavior.
While Google began offering third-party app store downloads earlier this week, with Aptoide Games being the first, Judge Donato found the implementation inadequate. Epic's lawyer demonstrated that the link to the alternative app store page was buried deep within confusing menus, and even searches for "app store" or "aptoide" did not yield direct results. Instead, a banner linked to the relevant page.
Google's defense that app stores are a special category due to expanded permissions was rejected by the court. Donato stated that the current process was "not acceptable" and ordered that "every possible variation that's even only 70 percent properly phrased" should be fixed. Furthermore, the judge criticized the installation process, which required users to click "view" before proceeding with the installation, deeming it an unnecessary step to discourage downloads. Donato ordered this button to be changed to "install."
Google's legal team has agreed to make these changes and was given one week to comply. This development could pave the way for Epic to release its own storefront within Google Play.